Guest Author - Phyllis Doyle Burns
The Hitchiti tribe resided in west Georgia, along the Chattahoochee River. The Hitchiti language was similar to the Mikasuki language, which is still spoken in Florida.
Their language was spoken in the nearby towns of Chattahoochee, but extended over much of Georgia and Florida. It has an archaic form and is considered feminine language. The Hitchiti were absorbed into and became an integral part of the Creek Nation, though preserving to a large extent their own language and customs. Similarly, those Mikasuki-speakers who joined the Lower Creek migrations to Florida, becoming the forefathers of the Seminole, maintained their culture and are now recognized as the distinct Miccosukee tribe.
Hitchiti was a Muskogean language of the American Southeast, which today is no longer spoken. It was very closely related to the still-living Miccosukee language, and some linguists consider the two to be dialects of a single Hitchiti-Mikasuki language. Like other Muskogean languages, Hitchiti was a language with complex verbs and word order.
The earliest record of the Hitchiti tribe appeared in 1733 when Governor James Oglethorpe met with two of the tribe's delegates in Savannah, Georgia. By 1799, the tribe had split into two branches, the Little Hitchiti (Hitchitudshi), and the Tutalosi, who settled 20 miles west of the first branch on Kinchafoonee Creek. They had settled on both sides of the Flint River.
The Hitchiti people were hunters and farmers. Since they are considered part of the Muskogean peoples, they probably arrived in their aboriginal area sometime after 1,000 BC. They were located on the lower course of the Ocmulgee River. The Hitchiti later eventually intermingled in with the Seminole and Creek Confederacies and much of the culture of these tribes may carry some
of the original Hitchiti traditions.
Here is a delightful myth from the Hitchiti People:
Heron and Hummingbird
retold by Phyllis Doyle Burns
Heron and Hummingbird were very good friends and they both loved to eat fish. Hummingbird liked the small fish and Heron liked the large ones.
One day, Hummingbird said to Heron, "I am not sure there are enough fish in the world for both of our kind to eat. Shall we have a race, to decide which of us should own the fish?"
Heron thought that was a very good idea. They decided that they would race for four days. The finish line was an old dead tree next to a far-away river. Whichever of them sat on top of the tree first on the fourth day of the race would own all the fish in the world.
They started out the next morning. The Hummingbird darted speedily around and around the Heron, who was moving steadily forward, flapping his giant wings. Then Hummingbird would be distracted by the pretty flowers along the way. He would flit from one to the other, tasting the nectar. When Hummingbird noticed that Heron was ahead of him, he hurried to catch up with him, zooming ahead as fast as he could, and leaving Heron far behind. Heron just kept flying steadily forward, flapping his giant wings.
Hummingbird was tired from all his flitting. When it got dark, he decided to rest. He found a nice spot to perch and slept all night long. But Heron just kept flying steadily forward all night long, flapping his giant wings.
When Hummingbird woke in the morning, Heron was far ahead. Hummingbird had to fly as fast as he could to catch up. He flew past the big, awkward Heron and kept going until Heron had disappeared behind him. Then Hummingbird noticed some pretty flowers nearby. He zip-zipped over to them and tasted their nectar. He was enjoying the pretty scenery and didn't notice Heron flap-flapping passed him with his great wings.
Hummingbird finally remembered that he was racing with Heron, and flew as fast as he could to catch up with the big, awkward bird. Then he darted around and around the Heron, who kept moving steadily forward, flapping his giant wings.
For two more days, the Hummingbird and the Heron raced toward the far riverbank with the dead tree that was the finish line.
Hummingbird had a marvelous time sipping nectar and flitting among the flowers and resting himself at night. Heron steadily went on, flap-flap-flapping his giant wings, continuing forward throughout each day and night.
Hummingbird woke from his sleep the morning of the fourth day, refreshed and invigorated. He darted toward the riverbank with its dead tree. When it came into view, he saw Heron perched at the top of the tree! Heron had won the race by flying straight and steady through the night while Hummingbird slept.
So from that day forward, Heron has owned all the fish in the rivers and lakes, and Hummingbird has sipped from the nectar of the many flowers which he enjoyed so much during the race.
I love Creation stories of all tribes. One Creation Story of the Hitchiti-Mikasuki can be read at the related link below.
Hitchiti-Mikasuki Creation Story
*******
For your pleasure and convenience:
, , ,
